What Is ShinySearch
ShinySearch is what appears to be a hoax search engine that may appear on your Mac devices. This search engine’s main objective is to likely cause different types of advertisements after modifying your web browsers and changing key preferences and settings of them. ShinySearch may use questionable methods to enter your Mac, like being bundled to the installers of third-party apps downloaded outside of legitimate app stores. The main objective of this app is to likely make a profit from the advertisements it displays on your Mac. This is why you may end up being redirected to multiple questionable websites because of such an application and these sites may even be risky, hence why it is a good idea to focus on removing ShinySearch.
Read this article if you want to learn how to remove ShinySearch from your Mac completely.
ShinySearch Summary
| Name | ShinySearch |
| Type | Browser Hijacker / PUP |
| Short Description | Aims to modify the settings on your web browser in order to get it to cause browser redirects and display different advertisements. |
| Symptoms | Your web browser begins to display various types of online advertisements, which results in slowing down of your computer. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your Device Has Been Affected by ShinySearch
Download
Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss ShinySearch. |
ShinySearch – Primary Activity
ShinySearch is a browser hijacker for Mac and is similar in behavior to other such pesky software for macOS, such as Fireseerch.com, Go4news.biz and Search-Gol Toolbar. These programs may all be responsible for displaying different ads on your Mac that may lead to risky domains, such as:
- Fake websites made for phishing.
- Survey fraud.
- Virus URL.
- Fake Tech Support.
- Scammer web oages.
- Download of rogue and scammy software.
- Endless redirect via long URLs.
These sites could often arrive on your Mac if you get redirected via one of the following ads that this software may be related to:
- Ads on your search results.
- Text link ads.
- Pop-ups on your browser.
- Redirections.
- Banners.
- Push notification content.
ShinySearch may also use a number of tracking technologies that are small objects dropped on your computer to obtain info on your online browsing behavior. Such objects most often end up being:
- Cookies.
- Geo-location trackers.
- Tags.
- Pixels.
- LSOs (Locally Shared Objects, also known as flash cookies).
These cookies and other such may be used to get different data on what you do online and you have no way of knowing what happens with this information. Such data could include:
- Last Pages you visited.
- Your search history.
- Where you click with your mouse.
- Bookmarks.
- Your browsing history.
All of these factors are what makes ShinySearch potentially hazardous for your Mac and its removal is reccomended.
Remove ShinySearch from Your Device
ShinySearch is the type of application that may prove tricky to remove, along with all of its files and trackers it may have on your Mac. This is why we have created the removal guide below and we suggest that you follow it. It is designed from the ground up to best help you delete this application from your computer and browsers. For the most effective solution, security experts strongly recommend that you run a scan of your computer using an advanced anti-malware program. Such apps are often created with the main purpose to detect any unwanted files and objects and make sure they are permanently gone from your Mac.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
Follow Me:
Steps to Prepare Before Removal:
Before starting to follow the steps below, be advised that you should first do the following preparations:
- Backup your files in case the worst happens.
- Make sure to have a device with these instructions on standy.
- Arm yourself with patience.
- 1. Scan for Mac Malware
- 2. Uninstall Risky Apps
- 3. Clean Your Browsers
Step 1: Scan for and remove ShinySearch files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as ShinySearch, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Quick and Easy Mac Malware Video Removal Guide
Bonus Step: How to Make Your Mac Run Faster?
Mac machines maintain probably the fastest operating system out there. Still, Macs do become slow and sluggish sometimes. The video guide below examines all of the possible problems that may lead to your Mac being slower than usual as well as all of the steps that can help you to speed up your Mac.
Step 2: Uninstall ShinySearch and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to ShinySearch:
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to ShinySearch. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference. Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to ShinySearch. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any leftover files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove ShinySearch via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
1. Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2. Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3. Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as ShinySearch. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 3: Remove ShinySearch – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
ShinySearch-FAQ
What is ShinySearch on your Mac?
The ShinySearch threat is probably a potentially unwanted app. There is also a chance it could be related to Mac malware. If so, such apps tend to slow your Mac down significantly and display advertisements. They could also use cookies and other trackers to obtain browsing information from the installed web browsers on your Mac.
Can Macs Get Viruses?
Yes. As much as any other device, Apple computers do get malware. Apple devices may not be a frequent target by malware authors, but rest assured that almost all of the Apple devices can become infected with a threat.
What Types of Mac Threats Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the types of threats that can currently infect your Mac can be rogue antivirus programs, adware or hijackers (PUPs), Trojan horses, ransomware and crypto-miner malware.
What To Do If I Have a Mac Virus, Like ShinySearch?
Do not panic! You can easily get rid of most Mac threats by firstly isolating them and then removing them. One recommended way to do that is by using a reputable malware removal software that can take care of the removal automatically for you.
There are many Mac anti-malware apps out there that you can choose from. SpyHunter for Mac is one of the reccomended Mac anti-malware apps, that can scan for free and detect any viruses. This saves time for manual removal that you would otherwise have to do.
How to Secure My Data from ShinySearch?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your e-mail passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activiites with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these reccomendations, your network and Apple devices will become significantly more safe against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
More tips you can find on our MacOS Virus section, where you can also ask any questions and comment about your Mac problems.
About the ShinySearch Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this ShinySearch how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific macOS issue.
How did we conduct the research on ShinySearch?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of Mac threats, especially adware and potentially unwanted apps (PUAs).
Furthermore, the research behind the ShinySearch threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.